This thesis investigates the processes and influences that have driven regional economic development in Romania during the period 1945-95. One of the central aims is to examine whether the change from a planned to a market economy has significantly influenced the spatial distribution of economic activity. The initial part of the thesis exammes the theoretical perspectives of Romanian regional development challenging the neo-classical hypothesis and proposing that Romanian development patterns, under both the socialist andThe thesis presents an investigation of the patterns of national and regional development during 1945-95. One of the central messages that emerges is the importance of national and regional industrial structures to overall economic performance. It is argued that while the transition of the socialist economy to the market model may involve a fundamental change in the national and regional economic framework, both systems prioritised national growth over regional concerns through the focus on economic efficiency at the expense of equity considerations. The empirical results presented in the thesis reveal that economic growth free market, are best placed within the context of cumulative growth and agglomeration economies. within Romania is concentrated on previously developed regional centres. Both the socialist and free market systems failed to generate any fundamental change in the distribution of regional economic activity, although the introduction of the market economy is found to be marginally divergent. This is itself a rejection of the argument that the introduction of market forces will lead to a greater convergence in regional economic activity

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The thesis provides an integrated approach to tourism development within a destination (in this case Libya) that is currently suffering from lack of both short and long term investment due to an extremely uncertain political and social environment. The influences are both internal and external and could be classed as a ‘perfect storm’ affecting the country. The thesis identifies the stages of development, and those responsible for development by using an adapted butler model. It then suggests potential interventions at stages within the development, and ways in which the industry can respond quickly to the ever-changing environment of both investment and capacity building. The responses are based within the concept E-Marketing; a broad term but a modern approach to marketing that can respond quickly to changing environmental conditions. The thesis asserts that with these new methodologies the uncertainty element within a destination can be somewhat negated by the ability of the tourism industry to respond quickly both to market and de-market a destination. The suggestion is that for the foreseeable future tourism development in Libya will always be in a transitional period. The why for the thesis is because tourism has the potential to generate sizeable revenues within the Middle East and Africa, but has always suffered from significant underinvestment and varying levels of development. Libya has tourism development potential, and the thesis outlines the large number of tourist areas and unique attractions. To understand the current position of Libya in touristic terms an exploratory, qualitative, cross-sectional research strategy was adopted based on interviews with Libya stakeholders, Muslims consumers and country case analysis. The theoretical framework draws on contemporary marketing and e-Marketing theory intersecting development theory and destination management theory to investigate the role of e-Marketing. The key findings indicate that e-marketing represents a diverse toolbox that can be brought to bear in a highly integrated and focused approach that in itself becomes a source of competitive advantage. A technology-enabled e-marketing driven tourism framework provides Libya with the capacity to de-market its tourism programme, combined with the ability to reposition geographically and respond to crises caused by civil unrest. e - ii - Marketing systems provide significant potential to establish highly resilient and available infrastructures and the creation of a virtual space for planning management and tourism marketing. Critically, this thesis suggests tourism development is not wholly constrained by fragmented and transitional context. E-Marketing can counter physical and geographical constraints to facilitate diverse forms of information, communication, knowledge transfer and collaboration that enable creative forms of financing and resourcing and product development. The interconnectedness of e-Marketing processes and systems and the links between diverse actors, and institutions reflects in essence an ecosystem that is significant in allowing countries in transition to develop in highly dynamic and responsive approach. There is thus the substantial potential for the model proposed to progressively mobilise collective action, market knowledge and engagement that is critical for transitional economies.

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This DBA thesis explores the development of a corporate brand in a transitional economy, a previously under-explored context. The work employs a qualitative exploratory case-study research strategy involving a leader in the FMCG industry in Albania. This helps to set a positive example for the rest of the industry in the context of a transitional economy. Agna Group, the case study in focus, is a FMCG company operating in a domestic market, thus contributing to further insights in the area of corporate brand development and management from a business context which has been under-explored to date, as main focus of corporate branding has been on MNCs. A conceptual framework of corporate brand building and management is initially introduced, and its relevance in the transitional economy of Albania is further explored. The research benefits from the privileged access of the researcher in the case study organization, and the triangulation of a variety of data collected through in-depth interviews, documentation, and observations. The research advances our knowledge and practice of corporate brand building and management by adding to empirical work in the area. It indicates the constructs and practicalities involved in corporate brand development and management in a transitional economy context. This is an important contribution as the literature to date has predominantly focused on developed countries, i.e North America and Western Europe. The research showcases the six main constructs involved in corporate brand development and management and the three main drivers behind them. Research indicates that corporate brand building and management is strongly impacted by culture, as well as market context influence.

One of the most interesting results of the collapse of the former Soviet Union is the emergence of successful cosmopolitan entrepreneurs from former Soviet republics who have immigrated to countries, such as the United States and Canada, and settled in metropolitan areas like Toronto and have made millions establishing businesses in their new host countries. I have chosen to study successful cosmopolitan entrepreneurs from the former Soviet Union because this group has immigrated from a place where the free market economy and privatization did not exist prior to the 1980s, so the important intellectual issue, is how did immigrants who grew up most of their lives in a state-controlled communist system where entrepreneurship was forbidden learn to become so adept at starting businesses in a market economy when they moved to Toronto. One of the central questions that this dissertation aims to address is: How did experiences in the former Soviet communist economy and in the transitional economy affect the role that human capital, financial capital, and social capital played in establishing businesses in Toronto. This study is based on thirty two interviews that I have conducted with two cohorts of immigrants from the former Soviet Union, those who immigrated to Toronto in the late 1970s and early 1980s and those that immigrated in the late 1980s and 1990s. To address how Russian immigrants established businesses in Toronto, I used three bodies of literature, including (1) transitional economy, (2) ethnic and class dimensions of entrepreneurship, and (3) transnationalism to examine how each of the following factors: 1) social capital, 2) financial capital, 3) human capital, and 4) home country experience, specifically experience in the former Soviet communist economy and experience in the transitional economy affected the Russian entrepreneur at each stage of business development in Toronto.

One of the most interesting results of the collapse of the former Soviet Union is the emergence of successful cosmopolitan entrepreneurs from former Soviet republics who have immigrated to countries, such as the United States and Canada, and settled in metropolitan areas like Toronto and have made millions establishing businesses in their new host countries. I have chosen to study successful cosmopolitan entrepreneurs from the former Soviet Union because this group has immigrated from a place where the free market economy and privatization did not exist prior to the 1980s, so the important intellectual issue, is how did immigrants who grew up most of their lives in a state-controlled communist system where entrepreneurship was forbidden learn to become so adept at starting businesses in a market economy when they moved to Toronto. One of the central questions that this dissertation aims to address is: How did experiences in the former Soviet communist economy and in the transitional economy affect the role that human capital, financial capital, and social capital played in establishing businesses in Toronto. This study is based on thirty two interviews that I have conducted with two cohorts of immigrants from the former Soviet Union, those who immigrated to Toronto in the late 1970s and early 1980s and those that immigrated in the late 1980s and 1990s. To address how Russian immigrants established businesses in Toronto, I used three bodies of literature, including (1) transitional economy, (2) ethnic and class dimensions of entrepreneurship, and (3) transnationalism to examine how each of the following factors: 1) social capital, 2) financial capital, 3) human capital, and 4) home country experience, specifically experience in the former Soviet communist economy and experience in the transitional economy affected the Russian entrepreneur at each stage of business development in Toronto.

<p>Nonetheless IT sector is considered as highly competitive Belarus is listed in the top five, while also be-ing in the transitional stage. Thus, this thesis examined the tendencies of the quality management in Bel-arus IT industry. TQM, commonly used control system – ISO, and Business Excellence Models – Mal-colm Baldrige National Quality Award (MNBQA) and European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) were used as the basis for our research. The main premise for the research is that it is not nec-essary to excel in all concepts of TQM, where ISO was used as the primary step towards total quality.</p><p>Hence it was deduced that quality in the collected sample differs among the concepts. Even though the main concept of customer satisfaction is acknowledged, the human factor is still undervalued. This might also be the flaw hinged by ISO. However, further research could be done, covering bigger sample and observing the shift of these tendencies.</p><p>Key words: Total Quality Management (TQM), Interantional Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), Business Excellence Model (BEM), IT, Belarus, transitional economy, tendencies, Leadership, Strategy, Human Resources, Culture, Infrastructure</p><p>iii</p>

Nonetheless IT sector is considered as highly competitive Belarus is listed in the top five, while also be-ing in the transitional stage. Thus, this thesis examined the tendencies of the quality management in Bel-arus IT industry. TQM, commonly used control system – ISO, and Business Excellence Models – Mal-colm Baldrige National Quality Award (MNBQA) and European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) were used as the basis for our research. The main premise for the research is that it is not nec-essary to excel in all concepts of TQM, where ISO was used as the primary step towards total quality. Hence it was deduced that quality in the collected sample differs among the concepts. Even though the main concept of customer satisfaction is acknowledged, the human factor is still undervalued. This might also be the flaw hinged by ISO. However, further research could be done, covering bigger sample and observing the shift of these tendencies. Key words: Total Quality Management (TQM), Interantional Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), Business Excellence Model (BEM), IT, Belarus, transitional economy, tendencies, Leadership, Strategy, Human Resources, Culture, Infrastructure iii